Harvest Moon: A New Life
by DerpyLink
Summary: After a short lonely life without many friends or much purpose for himself in the future, Jack was consulted by his mother to take upon the "Exciting Ranch Plan" and start a new life in which he will make friends, establish a farming business and most importantly, find true happiness. A new life is ahead of Jack, the only question is, how will he live it?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Alrighty! So I've loved the Harvest Moon series for years now and have recently found myself wanting to go back into making FanFiction. Low and behold the idea for a Harvest Moon fanfic came to my head. So here we are at the start of our journey in our new ranch. I hope you have as much fun reading as I did writing!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

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**Chapter 1**

**A New Life**

As he walked into this strange new looking town, he couldn't help ponder the recent events that had taken place in his short life. Why was it that mom wanted him to take this "Exciting Ranch Plan" flier and start his own farm? No matter, there wasn't anywhere else to go, no one else to see, nothing more to do, so why not? Jack proceeded onward towards the town whispering to himself.

"Remember…smile and make friends, be happy."

As Jack drew closer to the houses and buildings he stopped at the sight of a classical looking man. Jack couldn't help, but think that handle bar mustache looked quite dapper on the middle aged individual. It seemed that through the growing darkness, the man was able to see Jack as well. With a shake of surprise, the man began to jog his way towards Jack with a friendly smile, one of which hasn't been shown to Jack in quite a while.

"Ah! You must be the newcomer who took on the 'Exciting Ranch Plan' I set up!" The man said with a stroke of his finely taken care of mustache.

"Yeah, I thought it'd be a nice chapter of my life!" Jack said with a smile back.

"Well I should properly introduce myself to you then, I am the mayor of this fine village! Anything you need, any festival you think we should hold, anything at all just let me know!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Jack."

"Well I reckon we should get you a house now. There are three vacant locations."

The mayor began pulling out a small town map with three red circles around different areas of the village. Each circle had a little note of detail about the land around it as well.

"Mom said to be more social and interact…that's what I should do." Jack thought to himself.

"Well come on now kid, we ain't got all day now." The mayor said whipping a bit of sweat off his forehead.

"I'll take the house in the village center, please."

"Alright! It's all yours! You should head over there now, it's pretty late outside and you start farming tomorrow!"

"Thanks mayor. Before I go, what are the people around here like?"

The mayor turned and gave a gentle smile to Jack. He wanted a verbal answer, but at that moment Jack felt like things were going to be okay from here on out.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about kid, the folk around here are as nice as all can get out. Just keep that smile on your face and kindness in your heart and I'm sure you'll find true happiness around here." The mayor said with a pat on his back.

Jack watched as his new mayor left to go home before turning around to locate his own home. Memories started coming back to him as he took a slow walk down the road.

"Remember Jack…be happy." Jack said to himself.

After a few more steps and a couple more trips down memory lane, he had found his new wooden house. Jack walked in and turned a light on and observed the surrounding area. Not a bad set up, a refrigerator, a TV, calendar, the works. Jack couldn't help, but find himself truly impressed that they would supply so much for him and they don't even know him yet. Jack took his boots off and set them to the side of the door and laid himself upon the soft blue bed. It wasn't before long that he would blink and immediately be deep asleep.

Hours of the star filled night would fly by like birds heading south for the winter, but sadly ended with an abrupt knock to his door. Jack lifted himself from his tomb of slumber and proceeded to the door which seemed so distant. Jack opened his door and was greeted with a clean kept brunette woman wearing a white and somewhat yellow apron on top of her blue dress alongside a small dog.

"Good morning! I'm sorry to wake you so early, but that's how farms around here work, heh. You must be the new farmer who took up the 'Exciting Ranch Plan'! My name is Elli!" Elli said with a cheerful smile.

"It's alright, I only had about twenty minutes left anyways haha. My name is Jack; it's a pleasure to meet you Elli!" Jack said returning the smile.

"Well aren't you a polite one! Listen I know this is sudden, but I have a favor to ask of you."

"Sure, what is it?"

"This small dog was born on our ranch and well…we don't have much room for him, so I wanted to see if you would take him under your wing."

"Ha! Sure of course I will! I shall name him Buddy!" Jack said kneeling down to pet Buddy.

Buddy gave a happy bark at Jack and wagged his tail ferociously. Elli's smile widen with how adorable the scene was.

"Well it seems Buddy has already taken quite a liking to you!" Elli said with a soft giggle.

"That's great, because I already love him!" Jack said laughing as well.

"Well the sun is starting to come up, so that means work is about to start. I'll see you around little farmer!"

Elli gave Jack a wink before running back to her own farm. Jack's face grew slightly red, this woman he had just met was winking at him! Oh the teenage fantasies were starting to come back, but as quickly as they came, they were gone.

"Well, it looks like I won't be starting this new life alone. I have a little companion to share the experience with!" Jack said petting Buddy once more.

Buddy barked and ran into Jack's house happily. Jack looked back at the direction Buddy took and began to just think. No actions at getting started, no sudden plans on how to make his new life work, but the fact that this was it. This was what his mom wanted out of him, this farm, this happiness, these were the first steps to a new life and this time, Jack was determined to make his mother's wish a reality and make something of himself so that he may live peacefully now and for many years to come.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Oh my it's been a little bit. Sorry about that! Anywho here we are on chapter 2! So far I've gotten positive reviews for chapter 1 which makes me happy! Thank you to everyone who is enjoying this story so far and I hope you continue to enjoy it as we go on! So without further adieu I present to you, chapter 2!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

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**Chapter 2**

**A Promise To Keep**

As his alarm clock went off with a great head ache spawning buzz, Jack rose from his bed and with great exhaustion turned the alarm off. Jack slid off his bed and began his usual morning routine of a shower, breakfast, then a sit through of the news to see how the weather will be for the day.

"Another rainy day..." Jack sighed to himself with a bit of disappointment.

Jack had never been much of a fan for rainy days, he got wet on his way to school and had to sit at his desks like that until he dried, nothing very fun about that.

"Jack, sweetie please don't forget to take the trash out on your way to school!" A voice yelled from the other room.

"Alright, mom!" Jack yelled back.

Jack's mother entered the room, her usual wear of a yellow plaid dress with an apron tied on the front with brown shoes to match her brunette hair. She gave him a calm smile, the same one she always gave him no matter what had happened. Jack could never help smiling back, he may not have a lot of friends if you can count one or two who never hang out with him any at all, but he always had his mother and to Jack, that was all he really needed.

"Sweetie will you be alright today?" Jack's mother asked as she began making herself breakfast.

"I hope so...I've never been too good with presenting speeches." Jack said as he tried looking at something to help make him less worried than he actually was.

"You've never been that social with anyone, maybe that's why you haven't gotten yourself a girlfriend yet!"

"M-Mom, really?"

"Oh hush now, it's senior year of high school and you haven't even gotten plans for your prom!"

Jack couldn't help but plant his face onto the table at what his mother had just said. Like it or not though, she was right. He knew he wasn't social with anyone, just another wall flower at all the dances he had the courage to show up at, just another taken desk that would shock all his classmates with the knowledge that it's occupied around the spring time of the school year, and just another invisible person sitting alone at lunch.

"Honey, I need to tell you something important." Jack's mother said in a soft, but serious tone.

"Is it about the house...?" Jack asked at almost a whisper.

"They said if we don't come up with two months rent, then we'll have to find another place to sleep. So I took up more hours at the diner and I won't be home by the time you get home."

"Alright...hey mom, when you do get home, could we...watch TV together?"

"Of course sweetie, tonight's episode will have your favorite actor in it, am I right?"

"Yeah, I've been waiting for this one for a month!"

"I know you have sweetie, now get to the bus stop, you'll be late if you don't go."

Jack stood up, grabbed his backpack and hugged his mother as tight as he could without breaking her into two. Jack's mother returned his hug and kisses his forehead.

"I love you Jack...don't you ever forget that you're mommy's little boy..." Jack's mother said in a hushed tone.

"I won't mom, see ya tonight!" Jack said as he ran out the front door.

As the day went on, Jack felt lonely as per usual. He sat in his seats and was yet again invisible. He ate by himself once again and he talked to no one unless spoken to. Jack knew that he couldn't just sit and wait for someone to talk to him, but then again he didn't even know how to talk to someone his age. Jack walked into his house through the back door this time, locking it before setting his things on the couch and sitting for a moment to relax. It wasn't a moment too soon when the phone began to ring.

"Well that was a nice three seconds of rest I got." Jack said as he walked to the kitchen to retrieve the phone.

Jack answered the phone and listened.

"Hello?" Jack asked.

"Hello is this Jack?" A woman asked.

"um yes, who is this?"

"This is nurse Samantha at the hospital, we called to inform you that your mother is here at the hospital. She got sick at work today. You should come over and see her as soon as you can."

Jack didn't respond and simply hung the phone back on the wall. He pulled his shoes on, ran out the door, locking it up and ran down the sidewalk towards the hospital.

"Mom's sick!? What could've happened to her!?" Jack thought as he ran, huffing gasps of air as he went along.

Jack had arrived to the hospital not too long after leaving his home. A usual white building interior with pictures and posters on the walls at some points. People were coming in and out signing papers and sitting down waiting to be called. Jack jogged to the front desk.

"Hello, my name is Jack and I need to see my mom right away!" Jack yelled.

"Calm down sweet heart, your mother is on the 3rd floor in room sixteen." The receptionist said with a calming voice.

"Thank you." Jack said as he began to jog to the elevator.

Jack was worried out of his mind, his mother was all he had and if something serious were to happen then he wouldn't know what to do. Would he have to support himself from now on? Would he be able to make it on his own? Questions continuously scrambled in his head as the elevator ride lasted for what seemed to be hours. Finally the doors opened and Jack was greeted to a hallway with occasional doctors and nurses walking back and forward from room to room. Jack walked down the hall checking room numbers as he went. After a bit he found it, room number sixteen. Jack opened the door slowly and peaked in to find his mother laying in the bed.

"Hi sweetie..." Jack's mother said with her famous soft smiles.

"Hey mom...they got you in those hospital clothes huh?" Jack said thinking how obvious the answer is.

"Well come on now don't hold the door open."

Jack closed the door and sat beside her.

"Mom...are you okay...?"

"I'm sick Jack...really sick..."

Jack didn't know what to feel from the words, he knew it hurt to hear it, but he didn't want it to be true. He thought this was just a nightmare, that's right a big nightmare and he'll wake up any second now and him and his mom will be at home, happy, enjoying each other as a family.

"Listen to me Jack, there was something I've been thinking about and I believe it will help you." Jack's mother said staring at the ceiling.

"What's up?" Jack asked.

"You never told me you had plans for the future, you never had very many friends and honey believe me I love you with all my heart and I have always tried to be the best mother I could for you. I found this." She said handing him a paper for the "Exciting Ranch Plan!".

"A...ranch?"

"That's right Jack, a ranch. As a little girl I always wanted to live on one. My grandmother had one and whenever I visited it there were so many nice welcoming people there, so many stories and love for the farms. I want you to go to that town and start a new life...I want you to keep me in your heart and your name at bay...but forget your lonesome past...forget being an antisocial teenager and be mommy's little boy...make a life worth living. For me and for yourself..."

"...Y-Yes ma'am...I-I love you mama..." Jack said hugging her.

"I love you so much, Jack..." She said returning the hug.

The alarm went off giving the usual head ache spawning buzz. Jack opened his eyes wide and turned the alarm off. A dream of his mother. Jack didn't step out of bed so quick, instead he curled his legs, laid on his side and cried. Buddy hops up, ready to lick his nwe master, but lowers his ears at the sight of seeing his master in pain.

"I promise mama...I'm going to do the best I can...I promise..." Jack said quietly through his tears.

The dream hurt, it was hard to live through the past even in sleep. Although the tears will fall for just a bit, the promise he made will live on for a while. Jack had made his first steps to his new life, but he knew it wouldn't be a normal cake walk. He knew there may be challenges down the road, but this time it wasn't just about that promise he made to his mother, but he felt deep in his heart that he actually wants this. Jack wiped his tears and pet Buddy's head.

"Let's get to work, Buddy. Today's the first day of our new life" Jack said with a smile as Buddy wagged his tail.


End file.
